The best console version yet of the PC hit - and accessible enough to suit even real-time strategy haters.

Never quite as good as the smart writing and clever ideas seem to promise, but still a thoroughly entertaining parody of the best of 2D Zelda.

The combat might never feel as clever as the visuals and narration but this is still an engrossing and distinctive action role-player.

Treat it as an HD remaster of the N64 game and this is actually one of the best Mario Tennis games since then, but the lack of features and extra content is a real turn-off.

An unfairly neglected part of the Doom canon is given the remaster it most certainly deserves, in what is one of the most welcome retro remasters of recent years.

A perfect example of the sort of game only the PSP can provide and a surprisingly progressive Japanese role-player to boot.

A complex strategy game with some severe accessibility issues, especially on consoles, but give it a chance and it’s a rewarding and deep sci-fi experience.

It doesn't address any of the series' shortcomings but this is still the most versatile solider sim around.

No fun at all on your own, but together on the same couch this is one of the most entertaining co-op puzzles for many months.

It's not a new idea, the feature set is thin and the presentation is mediocre. But it's still the best dance game - and the best Kinect game - so far.

The least funny Disgaea, but arguably the best in terms of the actual gameplay – and it’s a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch.

It’s still far from perfect but the improvements here are enough to help fans forget GRID 2, and hope that GRID 3 will be the game they really want.

A rather disappointing end to such a ground-breaking trilogy, where all the bold new ideas seem very much at odds with the core gameplay.

Some of the best 2D Mario levels in years, but the lack of online options means the construction aspect is unnecessarily limited.

A clever remake of one of Japan’s favourite video games, with charming new visuals and just the right amount of modern upgrades.

A true successor to Myst, with puzzles as ingenious as they are uncompromisingly obscure. Although the experience is hampered by serious technical problems.

Repetitive by design, and at heart a fairly pedestrian third person shooter, but the online co-op and promise of never-ending rewards is hard to resist.

It goes completely against the spirit of the movie but at least the game is able to celebrate the creativity of its developers, if not its players.

Solid realisations of some superb, underexposed games from the heyday of the 2D shooter genre, that illustrate the immediate legacy of R-Type and the coming of the Metal Slug games.

Somehow this manages to be the best superhero team-up game of the year, even though its management style is fairly simplistic.

It may stimulate nostalgia glands just as intended but this is the best modern day Sonic game by only a surprisingly small margin.

It may be superficial, but the surface it covers is becoming immense.

A Lego version of Minecraft sounds too good to be true, and while this isn’t as versatile as Mojang’s classic it does offer a fun alternative for young builders.

Shockingly exploitative downloadable content overshadows an excellent new career mode and effective use of The Masters tournament.

Beautiful animation and an authentic Nordic feel enhance an already impressively distinct 2D action adventure.

A loving remake of a JRPG classic, with pitch perfect graphics and charming, if simplistic, storytelling and combat.

Yet another downloadable Robotron clone, but one with some interesting, if peculiar, ideas.

One of the DS's best first person shooters, whether you remember Star Fox and Starglider (and X) or not.

A mix of influences this random shouldn't work but the willingness to blend genres and experiment with multiplayer pays off despite the flaws.

An impressively full-bodied Japanese role-player that’s good enough to attract non-Monster Hunter fans, with the Pokémon style collection process making up for the flaws in the storytelling and combat.

The least brown shooter ever made, with the colourful graphics and accessible controls supported by an imaginative and surprisingly well-crafted online experience.

More of the same has rarely been so welcome, with this unusually elaborate, if still obviously reheated, download.

A director’s cut that for once makes a significant difference, with new levels and the return of co-op – although the underlying game is still slightly flawed.

The whole concept runs contrary to many of the series’ strengths, but it’s still hard not to be engaged by what remains some of the best storytelling in gaming.

The best straight pinball simulator for some time, with four well designed tables and a fun multiplayer.

An admirable refresh of a cult classic, with excellent presentation and thoughtfully implemented new mechanics, but it’s held back by its reluctance to modernise in other areas.

It's not much of a simulation but Codemasters' first F1 game is a slick and hugely entertaining racer.

It’s an impressive achievement given the game’s inherent complexity but, especially on a phone screen, battles are fiddly, with the job of highlighting and dragging units rendered inaccurate by the size of your thumbs compared with your microscopically small fighting men and cavalry. The less time pressured diplomatic elements work far better.

A slight downgrade on the original but still a fun crossover that works as a crash course in the joys of both Persona and Etrian Odyssey.

Easily the best Battlefront DLC so far, although it’s still only scratching the surface of what can be done in the Star Wars universe.

It’s more an unofficial Castlevania game than a movie tie-in, but if you can handle the high difficultly level this is an effective substitute for the real thing.

A competent but flawed compilation of the four best Sonic the Hedgehog games, which adds a half-hearted modern twist to the classic games.

The coronavirus has made its themes more relevant than ever and while there are many odd decisions, in terms of plot and game design, the overall experience remains strangely engrossing.

A short but sweet VR romp that replicates the Peaky Blinders universe perfectly, even as it runs up against some of the intrinsic limitations of VR gaming on the Meta Quest 2. [Tested on Meta Quest 2]

A cut price puzzler that almost manages to make the periodic table seem fun and exciting, and is certainly better than recent Super Monkey Balls.

The absence of clues and the plethora of places where words overlap provide a decent challenge right from the start, and there’s plenty of free content to try before you have to spring for the full game. It’s not Wordle but it is a fun alternative for those seeking a new challenge.

An excellent remake that manages to overcome the flaws of the original and offer a glimpse at what a next gen Yakuza game might look like.

It may add up to less than the sum of its parts but in terms of storytelling and presentation this indie favourite has much to teach mega budget retail games.

It may lack the scares of its big brother but this proves an impressively progressive lightgun game that works very well with PlayStation Move.

It's rare to criticise a game for being too long, but some judicious editing could have turned this long-needed reboot into a real God Of War beater.

A great value bundle that includes the original game, the new expansion, and some of the best action role-playing since Dark Souls.

It's not a simulation but it is the only semi-serious baseball game with a chance of appealing to non-fans.

An excellent driving game but one sullied by cheapskate microtransactions. a lack of tracks, and the dubious worth of the Drivatar technology.

The most approachable and the most realistic train simulator ever made, and it does a good job of making that more appealing than it sounds to non-fans.

It's one step forward and two back in a sequel that seems almost ashamed of its own unique features.

One of the best of the bit Generations puzzlers returns with its take on the art of traffic directing.

An unfortunate turn to the microtransaction Dark Side causes some unnecessary problems with balancing but gaming’s odd couple remains a surprisingly successful pairing.

A fun and fairly original pseudo flight sim that has more depth and imagination than most rivals.

As good as Diablo is ever likely to be when playing with a joypad, but even the new local co-op options are subject to necessary but debilitating compromises.

A love story told through a first person puzzle game that delights in playing with scale and recursive environments, even if its conundrums eventually feel a little undercooked.

Not the deepest wilderness survival game in terms of gameplay, but certainly one of the most atmospheric and thought-provoking.

It's a lot more wordy than you might expect from a survival horror, and there's fewer puzzles than a true graphic adventure, but this is the best zombie game for years.

Although it feels more like an early access release at this point, this is a promising start for what should eventually eclipse Vermintide 2 and all the other Left 4 Dead wannabes.

Probably the best portable tennis game ever, with an impressive range of options and deep gameplay.

Excellent remakes of two of the most important games in JRPG history, with pitch perfect presentation and a substantial charm, despite the inherent simplicity.

A genuinely entertaining and imaginative child-friendly dungeon crawler, that's at least as good as the recent Lego games and not nearly as cynical as you might think.

A great 20th anniversary gift for Sonic fans and although it can never make up for all the series' low points it at least helps draw a line under them.

From its glorious art style to the amusingly European callouts of Zok! and Shunt! as damage gets inflicted on enemies, it’s a lovingly crafted modern take on the genre.

Fast-paced and accessible are not words commonly used to describe turn-based strategy games, but Sid Meier’s latest is a fun, breezy strategic time killer.

A little undercooked, but this is still an enjoyable attempt to create a more cerebral shooter.

Team Ninja has done everything to please fans short of making a brand new game, but despite its successes this too often feels like an awkward compromise.

Fights themselves are a bit light on tactics, with the looming shadows on all sides making it impossible to see enemies before they’re right on top of you, but the range of other activities and role-playing style progress of your troops will appeal to those who love XCOM but prefer their games a bit less sadistic.

There’s a lot to do, with quests and hunts coming thick and fast, as it once again strongly incentivises you to get fresh air – since it doesn’t work either indoors or in a moving car. While early days, indicators are that this could have the longevity recent Niantic games have lacked.

Daily login bonuses, auto-battle, and the usual solecisms of free-to-play gaming can’t crush its anarchic spirit, and especially for fans of the series, it’s a solid time waster that doesn’t necessarily require investment of real cash if you’re up for a long grind.

Not the deepest wilderness survival game around in terms of gameplay, but certainly one of the most atmospheric and thought-provoking.

A flawed superhero adventure even when it was first released, but the passage of time and a superior follow-up makes this a difficult recommendation at such a high price.

Very familiar dual stick shooter, in more ways than one, but still a great little Asteroids clone, with graphics that are nicely flattered by the PS Vita's screen.

A polished, beautifully rendered Metroidvania with a huge map, plenty of upgrades, and moments of intense frustration.

Easily the best of The Dark Pictures anthology series, with a horror story that is deliciously chilling, surprisingly well acted, and far more interesting to play than its predecessors.

Still an excellent third person brawler, but not the subversive outsider the original was.

Decades of sub-par copycats haven’t dulled the appeal of Puzzle Bobble and while there’s too few new ideas this is an effective reboot for what remains a classic match-three puzzler.

As blatant a clone as you’ve ever seen, but this is almost as good as the real Left 4 Dead and does have a few extra ideas of its own.

Another immaculately researched and presented interactive museum by Digital Eclipse, but one that is missing too many important versions of the game to function in quite the way it’s intended.

There's nothing even slightly revolutionary here, but five decent new maps – including one for Zombies – is perfectly welcome anyway.

A mixture of roguelike and Zelda: A Link To The Past that looks and plays extremely well, but even with some notable improvements still doesn’t get the balance quite right.

Full of imagination and great ideas, but Kirby seems destined to repeat the same mistakes forever – with zero challenge and aimless, unfocused game design.

The fan service is off the scale, in terms of the number of returning characters and references, but importantly this is also a fun and unique role-player in its own right.

The original PC version is still justifiably popular but touchscreen controls only turn a difficult game into an unreasonably frustrating one.

A clever puzzler that makes interesting use of PlayStation Move, but like its forebears the minimalist presentation and lack of pep will not appeal to all.

An improvement on the first map pack and not just because of the Predator, but Call Of Duty in general could really do with a change of scenery.

The difficultly curve and arcane interface and mechanics will still sadly limit the game's appeal, but CD Projekt has never given the impression that they're chasing a mainstream audience. And that's probably the attitude that is needed in order to create one of the few adult video games that doesn't feel like it was made purely for teenagers.

Despite borrowing so much from so many different games Capcom's new Western style role-player is very much its own game - with plenty of interesting ideas of its own.

It’s a short game, but its beautiful hand drawn art style is a source of constant delight, as are the interactions in this work of startling originality from the makers of Samorost and Machinarium.

Borrowing so obviously, from so many classic games, was always a risk but this stylish platformer pulls off its theft with some élan.

A disappointingly clumsy attempt to evolve the Fire Emblem formula that takes little advantage of being on the Switch, but the anime melodrama and fun combat still entertains.

It might not escape from the shadow of Punch-Out!! but this WiiWare download still puts up a good fight.

A staggeringly detailed flight simulator with a wealth of new craft and aviation challenges, that now works like an actual video game – but the technical shortcomings are still noticeable and frequent.

A surprisingly successful mobile spin-off becomes an equally enjoyable console download, that twists the key elements of Hitman to its own interesting effect.